Tray



Dec. 20, 1960 R. H. CAMPBELL 2,965,279

TRAY

Filed April 18, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 M ml H INVENTOR. ROBERT H.CAMPBELL A IORNEXS.

Dec. 20, 1960 R. H. CAMPBELL 2,965,279

TRAY

Filed April 18, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

ROBERT H, CAMPBELL ATTORNEYS.

Dec. 20, 1960 R. H. CAMPBELL 2,965,279

TRAY

Filed April 18, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TOR.

ROBERT H. CAMPBELL BY 2 74%442 fTTORNEYfi a Dec. 20, 1960 R. H. CAMPBELLTRAY Filed April 18, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 HUI I W" 19 le IFnus n EINVENTOR.

ROBERT H. CAMPBELL 7 %M ATTO NEYS 2,955,279 TRAY Robert H. Campbell, NewBrunswick, N.J., assignor to Continental Can Company, Inc., New York,N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Apr. 18, 1958, Ser. No. 729,373

3 Claims. on. 22944 The invention relates to a tray made from containerstock such as corrugated paperboard, fibreboard and the like. Moreespecially, it is concerned with an improved corner construction fortrays such as may be used, for example, for holding boxes ofstrawberries.

In the use of open trays, it is often necessary that they be stacked oneatop another; As the bottom tray must carry'the'load imposed by all thefull trays above it, the particular means for holding the side and endwalls of the tray rigidly together becomes a matter of considerablepractical significance. It is desirable to have as many as threevertical folds'in the container stock at each corner of ,the tray; andin addition, to furnish means for effectively holding these three foldstightly together in vertical alignment to preserve maximum strength ofthe vertical folds as a column under compressivelforces. Such verticalalignmentof the folds can'be effectively maintained only when themeeting ends'of both the side and end walls are held firmly upright andprevented from pulling out at the corners of the tray. 1 have inventedwhat can perhaps be described most simply and directly as a twowaygusseted corner construction in which a diagonal fold corner gusset isheld between an end wall panel and its infolded end flap to form agusset for the adjoining side wall panel, and in which an extension ofsuch end flap lies along the inside of the side wall panel and is helddown between the side wall panel and its side flap to form a gusset forthe end wall. Notice that the gusset for the sidewall panel lies alongthe end wall panel, whereas the gusset for the end wall panel lies alongthe side wall panel. Thus the two gussets are disposed at right anglesto one another, each gusset also being at right angles to the panel itis designed to directly support.

More particularly, my invention consists of a tray made from one pieceof container stock comprising, in the form in which it is erected foruse, a bottom panel, side and end wall panels extending upwardly fromthe edges of the bottom panel, diagonal fold gussets adjoining the endsof the side and end wall panels along vertical fold lines, thediagonal-fold gussets being folded against the respective end wallpanels, end flaps extending downwardly from the upper edges of the endwalls inside the tray and overlying the diagonal-fold gussets, andincluding as an important element of the combination, extensions of theend flaps reversely folded inside the tray and lying along the inside ofthe respective side wall panels where they are held down by side flapsextending downwardly from the upper edges of the side wall panels insidethe tray and overlying the extensions. With this particularconstruction, the diagonal-fold gussets, being held between the end wallpanels and flaps, support the side walls, while the extensions, beingheld between the side wall panels and flaps, function as gussets tosupport the end walls.

Referring to the drawings I shall now describe the best modecontemplated by me for carrying out my invention.

Fig. l is a face view of the blank from which my improved tray isformed. All cut lines are represented by single lines and scoreor foldlines are represented by light double lines. Conventional cutting andscoring dies may be used in forming the blank.

Fig. 2 is a face view of a transverse partition for tray.

Fig. 3 is a top perspective view showing how the tray is set up for use.i a I Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the tray fully set up.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail cross sectional view on line 55 of Fig.4.

Fig. 6 is a similar view taken on line 6-6 Fig. 5.

My tray as erected for use comprises a bottom panel 6, side and end wallpanels 7 and 8 extending upwardly from the edges of the bottom panel,corner sections 9 the . adjoining the ends of the side and end wallpanels along vertical fold lines 10,11, diagonal fold lines 12 in thecorner sections extending from the respective corners of the bottompanel, the corner sections folded against the respective end wallpanels, end flaps 13 extending downwardly from the upper edges of theend wall panels inside the tray and overlying the corner sections 91,extensions 14 of the ends of the end flaps adjoining the end flaps alongvertical folds 15 at the corners of the tray, the extensions lying alongthe inside of the respective side wall panels, and'side flaps 16extending downwardly from upperedges of the side 'wall panels inside thetray and overlying extensions 14. The construction thus describedprovides a two-way gusseted corner comprising the section 9 whichconstitutes a diagonal-fold gusset between adjacent ends of side and endwall panels, and comprising further the extension 14 which lies alongthe inside of side wall panel 7. The diagonal-fold gusset is heldbetween the end wall panel and its end flap to form a gusset for theside wall panel, while said extension is held down at a (Figs. 5 and 6)between the side Wall panel and its side flap to form a gusset for theend wall panel. The upper edge of the end of extension 14 lies justunder the fold line of side flap 16 and this effectively prevents endwall 8 from pulling outwardly at the corner of the tray.

To produce this two-way gusseted corner construction from the blankshown in Fig. l, the first step is to erect the side and end wall panelswhile folding gusset section 9 against end wall panel 8. Next the endflap 13 is folded inwardly and downwardly so that gusset section 9 isheld between the end flap and the end wall panel while extension 14folds into position along the inside of the side wall panel. Finally theside flap 16 is folded inwardly and downwardly so that gusset extension14 is held between the side flap and the side wall panel. The sequenceof the several folding steps will be further explained by Fig. 3. Noticethat gusset sections 9 and 14 extend at right angles to one another inthe erected tray.

In my preferred construction as shown, the side walls of the tray are ofless height than the end walls, and a transverse partition 17 isprovided. The side flaps 16 are made in two sections and the adjacentends 18 thereof abut the transverse partition. The partition is of thesame height as the end walls and serves as a support for the bottom ofanother tray when several trays are stacked together. The partition isconstituted by a double section of container stock formed from the blankshown in Fig. 2, and has opposed flaps 19 at each end held between therespective side wall panels and side flap sections. If desired, end wallpanels 8 may be formed with top projections 21 adapted to be received insuitable openings in the bottom of a like tray when arranged one atopanother. Such openings may be provided by cut-outs 22 which foldupwardly or punch out of the bottom when the trays are stacked up. Thesecut-outs are formed by suitable cuts, or cuts and score lines, asdesired. Also suitable means are provided for locking the side and endflaps, such as projections 23 along the lower edges of the flapsengaging openings 24 along the edges of bottom panel 6.

The terms and expressions which I have employed are used in adescriptive and not a limiting sense; and I' have no intention ofexcluding such equivalents of the invention described as fall within thescope'of the claims.

I claim: I

1. A tray made from one piece of container stock comprising, in the formin which it is erected for use, a bottom panel, side and end wall"panels extending upwardly from the edges of the bottom panel, cornersections adjoining the ends of the side andtendwall panels alongvertical fold lines, diagonal fold lines in said corner sectionsextending from the respective corners of the bottom panel, said cornersections folded against the respective end Wall panels, end flapsextending downwardly from the upper edges of the end wall panels insidethe tray and overlying said corner sections, extensions of the ends ofthe end flaps adjoining the end flaps along vertical folds at thecorners of the tray, said extensions lying along the inside of therespective side wall panels, side flaps extending downwardly from upperedges of the side Wall panels inside the tray and overlying saidextensions, the side wall panels being of less height than the end wallpanels, and a transverse partition, the side flaps being made in twosections and the adjacent ends of said sections abutting said transversepartition, and the partition being of the same height as the end wallpanels.

2. A tray according to claim 1 in which said transverse partition isconstituted by a double section of container stock with opposed flaps ateach end held between the respective side wall panels and side flapsections.

3. A tray made from one piece of container stock comprising, in the formin which it is erected for use, a bottom panel, side and end wall panelsextending upwardly from the edges of the bottom panel, corner sectionsadjoining the ends of the side and end wall panels along vertical foldlines, diagonal fold lines in said corner sections extending from therespective corners of the bottom panel, said corner sections foldedagainst the respective end wall panels, end flaps extending downwardlyfrom theupper edges of the end wall panels inside the tray and overlyingsaid corner sections, extensions of the ends of the end flaps adjoiningthe end flaps along vertical folds at the corners of the tray, saidextensions lying along the inside of the respective side wall panels,side flaps extending downwardly from upper edges of the side wall panelsinside the tray and overlying said extensions, the upper edges of theend portions of the side wall panels conforming to the height of the endwall panels and the portion of the side wall panels between said endportions being of less height than the end wall panels, the fold linesof the side fiapsbeing downwardly offset with respect to the fold linesof the end flaps, and the extensions of the ends of the end flaps havingdownwardly offset upper edges lying adjacent the underside of thedownwardly offset fold lines of the side flaps.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS622,496 Knobelock Apr. 4, 1899 1,726,682 Scholes Sept. 3, 1929 2,041,274Wood May 19, 1936 2,135,021 Zalkind -sNov. 1, 1938 2,728,485 Howard Dec.27, 1955 2,843,307 Goetz July 15, 1958

